The religion now known as ‘Modern Spiritualism’ officially and literally burst through to the world in the small village of Hydesville, New York, late in March of 1848. The phenomena that began when young sisters Maggie and Kate Fox reported ‘rappings’ on the walls of their home, has grown into a religion that currently, according to the International Spiritualist Federation, has both individual and group members in over 35 countries worldwide. The National Spiritualist Association of Churches, (NSAC) describes the religion on their website as follows, “Spiritualism is the Science, Philosophy, and Religion of continuous life, based upon the demonstrated fact of communication, by means of mediumship, with those who live in the Spirit World. Spiritualism is founded upon a Declaration of Principles, nine in number, received from the Spirit World by means of mediumship. They provide a firm and tangible foundation on which to base the knowledge of Spiritualism.” Although not listed as one of the top ten religions of the world, there are many who have a belief in spirit communication, even though they are not a registered member of the Spiritualist religion. The number of believers, understandably because of the fraud found in this particular discipline, is difficult to ascertain.

Now back in 1848, and not twenty five miles away from the initial rappings heard in Hydesville, the feminist movement had their First Women’s Rights Convention at the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19 and 20 – just a few short months after spirit began communicating with women in that same geographic area. From the handful of women who began to stand up for themselves, grew a cohesive network of individuals who were committed to changing society in the United States by demanding rights that were equal to those of their male counterparts in all areas. A group of strong and outspoken women who this paper will show, were regular attendees at séances given by the many mediums in the area, and were pivotal to the beginnings of a movement that ultimately led to a woman’s right to vote in this country.

Is it coincidental that these two major events in the history of the United States occurred at the very same time? Did women finally find their voices and the strength to use them only after counsel with spirit? Did the readings from the Fox sisters, and readings from other women who found that they also had mediumship qualities give the women of that era the strength to finally stand up for equality in that Victorian male dominated world? Although the women’s uprising in most circles is attributed to ‘Renegade Quakers’, a deeper look reveals that it was indeed spirit communication that played a key role in the unprecedented social change events taking place in the mid to late 1800’s in Upstate New York, and throughout the world.

The United States in the mid to late 1800’s was in cultural and spiritual upheaval after the Second Great Awakening in the early part of the century, which consisted of renewed personal salvation, and participation in revival meetings. The revivals were instituted by the various religious sects as the people had been questioning their interpretation of God for many years. Understandably, this was a time of abolitionists, suffragettes and radical religious groups. SkepticWiki which defines itself as “the encyclopedia of skepticism, science and reason” describes the era like this, “It was an environment in which many people felt that direct communication with God or angels was possible, and in which many people felt uncomfortable with notions that God would behave harshly – for example, that God would condemn un-baptized infants to an eternity in Hell.” Judith Wellman, when talking about the women’s movement in The Road to Seneca Falls (2004), portrays the time as follows, “In July 1848, revolution was in the air. As Americans confronted dramatic economic and social change, they had to redefine old values to meet the demands of a new world.” Society, especially in the United States, was definitely changing and changing rapidly. It was like the prelude to a big storm – you know something’s coming, but you’re not aware of how powerful it can be. Ann Braude says in Radical Spirits – Spiritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth Century America (1989), “Spiritualism was a religious response to the crisis of faith experienced by many Americans at mid-century.” It seems clear to one looking back at those tumultuous times, the stage was certainly set for spirit to break through the veil between planes and be heard.

The events in Hydesville in 1848 are marked as the beginning of what is now known as Modern Spiritualism, however spirit communication has been present in various forms since before biblical times. Eastern religions that are thousands of years old have beliefs based in the fact that the soul exists long after the body has fulfilled its mission, and communicates back to the physical world. Even the Christian Bible makes reference to mediumship and spirit communication in many places. Todd Jay Leonard in Talking to the Other Side: A History of Modern Spiritualism and Mediumship (2005) states, “The Bible, according to Spiritualists, has numerous examples of mediumship which they believe lend credibility to their movement.” He continues, “At the very least, however, enough references to mediumship-like occurrences are found in the Bible which certainly does, in part, offer the serious researcher and scholar points of reference to explore further.”

When speaking of Spiritualism in more modern times, Arthur Conan Doyle thoroughly describes in The History of Spiritualism (Echo Library 2006), how the Swedish seer Emanuel Swedenborg, the Scottish born Edwin Irving, and New York’s Andrew Jackson Davis communicated with spirit and had paranormal experiences before the rappings were heard by Kate and Maggie Fox in 1848. It was the Fox event however, and the brashness and shrewdness of Leah Fox Fish, Kate and Maggie’s older sister and manager that forced humankind to finally listen to what spirit had to say.

Margaret and Katherine Fox were fourteen and eleven respectively when they woke their humble Methodist parents because they were hearing noises in the walls of the small wooden shack they called home. The noises really shouldn’t have come as a complete surprise, since the rural house they had lived in for only a short twelve months was reportedly haunted and had been evacuated by the previous tenants. The noises and pounding went on for weeks, terrorizing the children and the family before young Kate challenged the rappings by asking the entity they called ‘Mr. Splitfoot’, since they believed the spirit to be that of the devil, to repeat the snap of her fingers. To everyone’s amazement each time eleven year old Kate would snap her finger, a single rap was immediately heard. If she snapped twice, two raps came back. Communication with the beyond was established at that moment! The ‘beyond’ happened to be the spirit of a peddler, Charles B. Rosna. Mr. Rosna, who was murdered on the premises and buried beneath the house, was the first of many spirit entities to quickly come through as it turned out. (As a side note, many years later human bones were found when the foundation of the house was being torn up, collaborating the girls’ story). Neighbors began to rush from all around the area to the small wooden house, and after days of communication, someone suggested a code in order to get questions answered. Now they had language with which to really communicate and ask questions. Maggie and Katie Fox became the initial spokespersons for the spirit world, and with their sister Leah leading the way, brought their first messages to the world at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York.

There is little information regarding the content of the messages received by those attending the numerous séances that where held in Upstate New York in the months following the first communication from spirit. While the young girls broadened the scope of their travels to far away places, and news of this uncanny communication ability spread, increasing numbers of women were finding that they too could receive messages from the spirit realm. Arthur Conan Doyle states, “In one of the early communications the Fox sisters were assured that ‘these manifestations would note be confined to them, but would go all over the world.’ This prophecy was soon in a fair way to be fulfilled, for these new powers and further developments of them, which included the discerning and hearing of spirits and the movement of objects without contact, appeared in many circles which were independent of the Fox family.” He continues, “In an incredibly short space of time the movement, with many eccentricities and phases of fanaticism, had swept over the Northern and Eastern States of the Union.” The phenomena indeed was becoming quite widespread.

At that time, abolitionists who were Quakers were having a difficult time with their faith, as it supported slavery. Many left the Quakers and formed a group that they called the ‘Congregational Friends’. Wikipedia corroborates the connection between Spiritualism and the women’s movement with the following entry, “Amy and Isaac Post, Hicksite Quakers from Rochester, New York, had long been acquainted with the Fox family, and took the two girls into their home in the late spring of 1848. Immediately convinced of the genuineness of the sisters’ communications, they became early converts and introduced them to their circle of radical Quaker friends.”

Trish Wilson writes on the website, Feminista: The Journal of Feminist Construction, “Women and children of the Victorian era were considered the legal chattel of fathers and husbands. Spiritualism provided them with a means of obtaining their own power and financial security.” In a similar vein, Ann Braude tells us in Radical Spirits – Spiritualism and Women’s Rights in Nineteenth-Century America (2001), “What distinguished spirit mediums from other religious women who rose to public roles at certain moments of enthusiasm within their religious communions was their commitment to women’s rights.” Braude also states, “At a time when no churches ordained women and many forbade them to speak aloud in church, Spiritualist women had equal authority, equal opportunities, and equal numbers in religious leadership. While most religious groups viewed the existing order of gender, race and class relations as ordained by God, ardent Spiritualists appeared not only in the women’s rights movement, but throughout the most radical reform movements in the nineteenth century.”

In Other Powers-The Age of Suffrage, Spiritualism, and the Scandalous Victoria Woodhull (1998), Barbara Goldsmith writes, “By the 1850s, a group of female trance speakers were among the first women permitted to speak in ‘promiscuous assemblies,’ which meant gatherings of both sexes. Speaking with the authority of the spirits but without personal responsibility for what they said, these women could not be censored for their statements. Since the spirits were guiding them, they had courage, for they spoke the truths of a greater power. Women, no matter how ill-educated, could now transmit the wisdom of spirits as diverse as Socrates and Benjamin Franklin: Not surprisingly, the rights of women were very much on the minds of these great thinkers.” Robert Egby, in an article found on his online Parapsychic Journal entitled, ‘The Footsteps of the Foxes’, states the following, “The events at the Corinthian Hall promoted the cause of Spiritualism and clairvoyants and mediums who had been quietly working in private came out into the open adding to the growing power of this fledgling religion — Modern Spiritualism.” And as spirit continued to speak, women began to speak as well. They learned to trust their own feelings, and stand up for the equality that they felt was their right.

When talking about the Women’s Movement, Todd Jay Leonard in Talking to the Other Side: A History of Modern Spiritualism and Mediumship (2005) says, “From the very beginning of the movement, Spiritualism has served to empower women to be independent and has given them a platform in which to pursue a professional life as clergy, mediums, and businesswomen. The movement has always treated women equally, and many Spiritualism women were instrumental in demonstrating to get the right to vote for women during the Suffrage Movements in the United States.” Nancy Rubin Stuart tells us in The Reluctant Spiritualist – The Life of Maggie Fox (2005), “Several Quaker abolitionists had gathered first at the home of Jane and Richard Hunt and than at the M’Clintock’s fine brick house in Waterloo. The organizers, who included Mary Ann McClintock, Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Matilda Wright, formalized their ideas for women’s suffrage around the mahogany parlor table where the raps would later reportedly be heard.” She continues, “The subsequent meeting at the Seneca Falls Universalist Wesleyan Church on July 19-20 would ignite the women’s suffrage movement, setting the stage for a seventy-two year battle that resulted in the 1920 passage of the Twenty-First Amendment. Among the hundred men and women who ultimately supported its resolutions, some were already sympathetic to Spiritualism – Amy Post, Sarah Post Hallowell, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Ann and Thomas M’Clintock, and Sarah Burtis.” The name that is most associated with regards to the women’s movement in later years is of course Susan B. Anthony. Although not a Spiritualist herself, she was a close friend of Elizabeth Cady Stanton for years, and was a frequent speaker at women’s conventions in LilyDale, New York, a Spiritualist community founded in 1879.

Additional confirmation of how spirituality and spirit communication played a large part in the women’s movement is found in Judith Wellman’s The Road from Seneca Falls (2004). She writes, “In their search for wholeness, the M’Clintocks and several other Congregational Friends went beyond worldly concerns. In the new spiritualist movement, they explored the permeability of boundaries between life and death. As early as 1841, they had experimented with ‘animal magnetism,’ a kind of clairvoyance which transported them to other places within this world. Now impressed by the rappings heard by the Fox sisters outside Rochester, New York, they began to hold regular séances in their home. Other women’s rights supporters, especially among the Quakers, also joined this movement. Isaac Post, Amy Post’s husband, collected testimonials from people who had attended the Fox sisters’ séances and concluded that, indeed, the rappings they heard came form the spirit world. By 1851, Isaac Post himself had become a medium.”

Interestingly enough, information on the Women’s Rights National Park website makes no reference to Spiritualism or spirit communication, although many of the names listed on the site as leaders and visionaries in both the women’s movement and the anti-slavery movement in that time were regular attendees at séances, if not mediums themselves.

Unfortunately, the dark shadows that were cast upon Spiritualism at that time, and even in current times, are more than likely the reason. We do know that Kate and Maggie Fox were interrogated and tested over and over again to prove the legitimacy of their supposed communications with spirit. From their first public demonstration in Corinthian Hall in Rochester, the two young girls – led by their older sister Leah, were continually sought after for readings and at the same time harassed and tested relentlessly by those who believed they were frauds. And the public had good reason to worry! The greedy and less than honorable of the people of the time saw an easy way to prey on those who had recently lost a loved one and wanted to believe in proof of the afterlife.

In later years, Maggie, after living an adult life plagued with alcoholism and harassment, told the world that the rappings heard in Hydesville when she was just a child were all a charade cooked up by her sisters and herself. She later recanted her admission of fraudulent behavior, but the damage had already been done. It all started out with disagreement among the sisters after alcohol abuse had become a part of their lives some thirty years after the initial spirit communications from Mr. ‘Splitfoot’. The atmosphere during those years of turmoil where blame-casting and revenge, and a break in the family finally ensued. Much like any family quarrel, each of the women wanted only peace for herself. Arthur Conan Doyle states when referring to how the women behaved throughout the more difficult times, “Let it then be clearly stated that there is no more connection between physical mediumship and morality than there is between a refined ear for music and morality. Both are purely physical gifts.” What Doyle meant I believe was that the women’s public embarrassments had nothing to do with their ability to transmit spirit communication.

Regardless, even though Spiritualism claimed to have two million followers by the late 1800’s, it was condemned by leaders of organized religions, and there were attempts to get laws passed to prevent mediums from practicing. Todd Jay Leonard in Talking to the Other Side: A History of Modern Spiritualism and Mediumship (2005) writes about the troubles encountered, “Many mediums were ostracized by family and friends, mainly because of the religious ban. Starting in the late 1850’s in Great Britain, and in the 1880’s in America, investigators began looking into and exposing the many fraudulent mediumship schemes that were operating in both countries, further sullying Spiritualism’s image.”

It’s understandable that historians wanted to keep any connection to spirit communication limited or completely out of our history books and classrooms. Most always the strange happenings occurring during that time in our history were attributed to the craziness and religious frenzy of the era, or just plain fraudulent behaviors and fame seekers. It is truly unfortunate however, that spirit isn’t given more credit for having had such an integral role when making these great strides in equality for humanity. Strides not only based on gender, but on race and creed as well.

We’ll never really know what went on inside those dark séance rooms in Upstate New York in the mid 1800’s. Were the attendees only asking to communicate with loved ones who had passed to the other side, or were they asking for advice from powers that they realized were greater than themselves? Were they made aware of ‘who they really are’ and given the confidence to move forward? Were those Victorian women led by the spirits of women who had gone before them and wanted to share their own voice as well? We really don’t know.

But, we do know that Amy and Isaac Post, strong in the anti-slavery movement with a busy house on the Underground Railroad, and signers of the Declaration of Sentiments in Seneca Falls, were close friends of the Fox family, and brought the girls to their home regularly. We also know that Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a strong voice in the movement, a regular at séances, and a good friend of Susan B. Anthony, one of the most prominent leaders of the women’s movement. And we know that the M’Clintocks, also very active in both the women’s as well as the anti-slavery movement were many times found around a table in a darkened room waiting for spirit to speak. Putting all of the pieces together certainly suggests that spirit and Spiritualism, although not totally responsible, can be touted as a considerable catalyst in the movement that gave women the right to vote in this country.

And where are Spiritualism and Feminism now? Some religious scholars believe that a Fifth Great Awakening, (the Third and Fourth happening in the 1880’s – 1900 and 1960’s – 1970 respectively) is imminent in the foreseeable future, as these periods of heightened spiritual activity are typically seen during times of social unrest and confusion. There is a growing list of events occurring simultaneously at this time in our history, all of which unfortunately are too extensive to be covered fully here. However, they include, but certainly are not limited to, the ongoing translations and interpretations of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the middle of the 1900’s; the uncertain role of Mary Magdalene in Christian history – and Christian history itself – based on recently uncovered gospels; the massive changes to our planetary environment through global warming and the depletion of its resources; the discovery by Quantum Physicists that there is indeed an unseen controlling force at the very core of our being; and the predictions of the changes to come in 2012 by the ancient Mayans. Without a doubt, the time is definitely ripe for an Awakening. And, interestingly enough, as we move into 2009 we’ve already had a female candidate for the office of Commander in Chief of these United States. The women who fought hard and long for their equal rights in 1848 must be so very proud. Who do you think will hear their rappings this time?

Now Pay Close Attention —

Using Video Testimonials to increase your websites sales and revenue is simpler than you’ve been told. Everyone with a website faces the same two problems:

[Problem #1] How To Build Credibility With Potential Customers

[Problem #2] How To Obtain Testimonials Which Have Been Proven To Improve Sales

Fast Video Testimonials has been solving these two problems for hundreds of satisfied customers. Fast Video Testimonials has been tried and tested and known to produce excellent results.

Second: Order Your Video Testimonials Package of 1, 5 or 10 original Video Testimonials for your website.Your new Video Testimonials will arrive within 7 days and all Video Testimonials are done by REAL PEOPLE and are guaranteed to boost your sales by up to 30%. Buy Video Testimonials today and boost your businesses online presence overnight.

With an instant increase in sales by up to 30% Video Testimonials are the most effective way to improve your business. But to take advantage of this amazing tool, it is always a good idea to get a head start on your competition and Buy Video Testimonials. Visit http://www.FastVideoTestimonials.com Today!

Marnie Pehrson discusses how women can transform their talents and experiences into a message that will change the world and generate income in the process. Marnie is the host of the Light the World Show. (09:45)

Borrowing its name from an ancient goddess of victory in war, Nike is now the official brand-name of the largest sports and apparel corporation in the world. ‘Blue Ribbon Sports’ was its genesis that later on transformed herself into Nike in the beginning of 1970s. Symbolized by the sign of ‘swoosh’ Nike is now a name synonymous with the world of sports. In his search for light, sportive yet robust athletic shoes, Phillip Knight, the founder, CEO and chairman of Nike picked up the idea……

Abdal Wadod Shalabi has remarked that a society only becomes truly decadent when “decadence” as a principle is never referred to in public debate. Prior generations of Muslims and Christians were forever fretting about their own unworthiness when measured against past golden ages of goodness and sanctity. But in our self-satisfied era, to invoke the idea of decadence is to invite accusations of a retrograde romanticism: it is itself perceived, perversely enough, as decadence.

This article focuses on gender issues among nigerian ethnic group.The aim of this research is to analyze women’s socio-economic roles, their changing contexts and opportunities, as it is in among various ethnic group in Nigeria over space and time, to achieve this the objectives are:
Analyze the roles of men and women at household and community levels
Identify common constraints to women’s participation in leadership positions

According to Michel Foucault, our identity is constructed by how we are seen. In this regard, ‘gaze’ and panopticon are the mechanics that create, propagate, establish, and gradually naturalize racial identity and prejudices, leading to the blacks’ internalization of hegemonic ideology and inferiority which sustain automatically because of the victims’ blindness to them.The Bluest Eye Morrison challenges the Western standard of beauty and Native Son is concerned with the ‘black’ and ‘red’ phobia

Professor Hasan Yahya in this series of article explains what and what NOT, Crescentology and Crescentologism mean, for students of knowledge everywhere, regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, wealth or level of understanding. Crescentology surpasses Marx’s theory of Capitalism, August Comte’s positivism, and Einstein’s relativism. It is a new social approach toward peace on both micro and macro level.

A suction excavator is a combination of excavator and a pump for dual function of excavating earth and pumping the soil out. It has an air pump for generating the required flow of air, a nozzle through which air is drawn and a mechanism for separating soil from the air drawn through the nozzle

Everybody would like to make a lot of income and they would like to make it quickly. You are likely not an exception and you will be pleased to know that bringing in income quickly is very possible with Internet marketing.

Produced by James Underwood, Extreme Free Traffic is really a attempted and confirmed to function powerfully properly IM blueprint which has the capability to drives huge free lookup engine traffic to completely optimized World wide web marketing and advertising sites to be able to create enormous revenues from extremely worthwhile affiliate provides.

The brand new lunch of James Underwood Extreme Free Traffic is formally introduced to February 27 (Sunday noon). What is heading to become incorporated within this deal? I’ll attempt to create a fast summary in my extreme free traffic review. I am aware you’ll need brief path if it is really worth to purchase it or not. I’ll attempt to ensure it is brief and sweet.

Discover how you can make money online as quickly as today by choosing a mentor, someone who you can trust; who can personally show you genuine results and offers assistance to teach you the same instructions either by eBook, video course or membership to a site. I’m going to introduce you to the voted # 1 Internet Marketing Service. I guarantee, you will be able to create your first website by 3:45 this afternoon!

Whether you like it or not, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are here to stay. They are the way of the future. Everyone is on the social networking sites- including your customers. There are 500 MILLION registered Facebook accounts. You can’t keep your head in the sand. You need to be proactive. You need to reach out to your audiences and you need to listen to what they have to say. You need to have a conversation. You cannot just

The recession is here in America and is the topic of discussion everywhere. Is there anything that is recession proof? That is the question of our current time. People all across our country are looking for jobs and fearful of the future. Unfortunately, the majority of the public has been told that they must all work for a reputable company. How come you can’t work for yourself? You will find out here why your Home Business is recession proof.

The benefits of social media in terms of traffic generation is now well-accepted in the internet marketing world. Gone are the days when social sites like Facebook and MySpace are only used as a domain for fun and entertainment particularly with teenagers and students. Social medias all over the globe have now reached a new dimension, which is specifically directed to providing effective and massive traffic to a website. This is especially ach

LinkedIn is the professional person’s Facebook, introducing new business connections, efficiently displaying profiles and acting as a forum for recommendations, recruitment and liaisons. Essentially a social media tool, LinkedIn isn’t only useful on an individual scale. Offering company profiles and related groups, it can form part of an integrated social media campaign that supports your sales process and customer service, resulting in improv

When it comes to sites like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace everyone is heavily involved in one activity, and it’s got nothing to do with buying stuff. On social networks people are having conversations, countless studies have shown people go to these wildly popular websites to talk with friends, keep tabs on long lost pals, and enjoy the fruits of conversation in the digital age. Doing such things as trading pictures, favorite songs, and even

Friends and family are important to me, so I try to send cards, make phone calls, and basically keep in touch. The truth is that sometimes I’m just not as good at it as I would like to be. Life gets busy, it’s just that simple. Now you are welcome to tell me that as a holistic life coach I should be aware of how very important these relationships are, and you would be right! I am aware, but I still get behind from time to time.
Enter t

Want your headlines to produce BIG results for you? Of course you do! You didn’t spend all that time creating blog posts, brochure copy, or opt-in content just to amuse yourself, right?
But plunking down a headline as an after-thought ain’t gonna cut the mustard. Successful copywriters know that ad copy always starts with a grabbing headline. A headline that reels in the reader… or at least makes them pause to consider reading furthe

Your landing page conversions will increase once you answer three of the most common questions asked by visitors who receive your direct mail invitation to visit their website.
Q1. Am I at the correct place?
What you sell in your direct mail piece needs to match what you sell on the landing page. Visually, this means that if you feature a photo of an iPod on your buckslip you should feature that same photo on your landin

With an instant increase in sales by up to 30% Video Testimonials are the most effective way to improve your business. But to take advantage of this amazing tool, it is always a good idea to get a head start on your competition and Buy Video Testimonials. Visit http://www.FastVideoTestimonials.com Today!

inaked - Integral Naked is a multimedia doorway to the world of integral (complete) awareness. Conversations, performances, live events;all involving the most influential, provocative, and important thinkers and leaders in the world. Often these are moderated by K